Quick review of Daredevil #4

Hey gang! Just a quick review of the last issue of Daredevil. This came out weeks ago and, to be honest, I completely missed it. Pretty unforgivable for someone who runs a Daredevil blog, but I’ve been preoccupied with the Netflix show (season two is now less than nine days away!), and just life in general. As I mentioned in my last review, I also haven’t really found myself as emotionally invested in this run as I would have liked thus far. I still maintain that we’re dealing with a very well-crafted product, but it’s like listening to classical music. I can appreciate the skill that went into the composition, and it’s beauty, it just doesn’t make me want to get up and dance.

When I admitted on Twitter that I had yet to read the most recent issue, several of you mentioned that you enjoyed Daredevil #4 and felt that the story was starting to pick up speed. I definitely agree with this. This is a well-paced issue with plenty of intrigue and plenty of Daredevil being Daredevil. The inclusion of Captain America helps tether this story to the larger Marvel Universe, which feels like something we needed after the rather jarring shift in tones between volumes four and five.

This issue also provides some valuable character progression for Blindspot, for whom the conflict with Tenfingers hits very close to home. As for Tenfingers, he too sees another few layers added to his character, and the conversation between him and Matt cleverly plays with the notion that truth in religion is very subjective. Soule also uses this insight to shine a light on Matt’s own motivations for using his powers for good.

This issue, Ron Garney gets some assistance from Goran Sudžuka on art duties. The art continues to impress, and this may have been the best issue yet in this regard. I may even be getting used to Matt Milla’s limited color palette.

One thing that needs to be said though is this: What on Earth is up with the radar sense in this run? I know some of you – obviously knowing me – had been expecting me to bring this up sooner, but I honestly didn’t think that the shots of Blindspot (while invisible) in previous issues were actually supposed to be Matt’s radar perspective. I thought that was an artistic way of giving the reader an infrared view of Blindspot. I couldn’t even fathom that it was supposed to represent the radar, simply because that seemed ludicrous.

In this issue, we actually have a radar panel (see below) that seems to suggest he can almost read the “DYNAMITE – DANGEROUS” on the sticks of dynamite. And, how on Earth is there more variation in color in the radar panels than in the ones representing the standard view? Based on what happens on the next page, the radar panel even seems richer in detail. This state of affairs leaves me absolutely flabbergasted, and I desperately hope that the arts team will reconsider their approach.

So aside from the radar (I’ll get over it, maybe…) and the unsettling feeling that Matt may have used magical means to erase everybody’s memories, this run is starting to feel like it’s starting to hit its stride. I promise I won’t miss getting the next issue up on time! 😉

Maybe the colorization of the radar sense represents the way Matt’s brain processes its information — in colors rather than contours? As long as the colors don’t correspond to actual colors of objects he “sees,” I’m fine with it (although I definitely prefer the contour rendering, which I thought would have become standard).

Another great issue. I agree about the radar, but thats a minor nitpick to me and far outweighed by the other aspects that this team absolutely nails. I loved Matt’s no bullshit way of dealing with the bomb he couldn’t disarm. That was one of the ballsiest things he’s ever done. He could’ve had 2 minutes or 2 seconds for all he knew. I think we should all get ready for some magical shenanigans being involved with his secret being restored.

This is the book that should have been on the shelves last year when the Netflix series first dropped.

I thought this issue was an improvement, although I’ll say we aren’t quite there yet. The radar sense shot of the bomb where he had no clue what the countdown was at (particularly since it was so low and could blow up with DD still inside) was amazing. I don’t recall anyone ever doing that before and it was a good use of Daredevil’s blindness as a limitation, for a change. The fact that he couldn’t explain that to Cap was the cherry on top.

As for the radar sense itself, I love the use of color (particularly since the bland pallet can get tiring), but I wouldn’t interpret it literally in the slightest. I agree that the letters that appeared are problematic. I don’t think that makes any sense. But I would still go with a metaphorical take away anyway and not think about it too much (honestly, I didn’t even notice the letters until you posted that picture since I was focused on the lack of numbers, which was the important part).

Some types of printing can either have slightly raised lettering or slightly embossed lettering, and Matt’s radar sense *might* be able to pick that up, leading to the sort of quasi-lettering we see. But he would have no way of detecting the countdown numbers. Maybe that’s what the art team was aiming for?

Unfortunately, my prior source for the monthly book isn’t currently receiving it (a.k.a. “my local library”), or at least not filing it under the same spot (due to some of the content, the more “adult” versions of comic books are filed differently than those the library deems suitable for teens. This means different issues of the same book might be filed differently, and different again depending on who they use as “author” for filing purposes). My budget is, regrettably, very limited to I can’t afford a subscription but I guess I will eventually get to read this myself… probably about 18 months to 2 years after the rest of you!

Anyhow – sounds like in some respects the reader is having to work a little to hard to interpret the visuals, which isn’t ideal to say the least, but hopefully they’ll get better with some more time.

I have to say I have a lot of trouble getting into this as well, mostly because of the artwork.
I’m not a big fan of that way the panels are layed out, where they overlap each other, but that is just my personal preference. But I also feel they are sloppily placed on the page. Two panels almost identical in size, and one is just a little off to the side, when they both could have been the same and given a much easier flow for the eye of the reader.

At first I thought the halftone way of colouring in was interesting but since I read the comic on my computer I get these really annoying moiré patterns, has anyone else noticed this? (like how that radar image from above looks so stripey)

About “TOMP”

Since 2007, The Other Murdock Papers has been serving up news, views and reviews about the Marvel superhero Daredevil. Whether you’re a new fan or have been following the adventures of Matt Murdock for decades, I hope you’ll find something to read and keep coming back for more!